‘The beaches of Llucmajor have a peculiarity that very few people know about. Of the 47 kilometres of coastline that the municipality has, only about 413 are sandy where you can put up an umbrella. It is a coastline that is as beautiful as it is rugged and dangerous in equal measure. The areas of difficult accessibility are lovely to see and enjoy, but at the same time a magnet for recreational boats, rental boats, kayaks etc… They come in to do their sporting or fun activities and when the tide changes, they get trapped or have no way of getting out. That’s when 112 activates us and our rescue work begins,’ says José Luis Sánchez, one of the Balearic Islands’ leading lifeguard experts, boat skipper and merchant captain.
Within the map of beaches of the Balearic Islands, some areas are considered ‘high risk’. This classification is attributed to all those beaches that, due to the crowds of bathers, orography or sea currents, deserve special vigilance. In fact, thanks to the lifeguard and lifeguard service, Llucmajor can boast of being one of the safest bathing areas in Mallorca. ‘When you go to buy a television or an electrical appliance, we ask the seller about its characteristics. On the beaches we must do the same with the professionals of the lifeguard and lifeguard service. Not all beaches are the same. It is not the same to be on the sandy beach of Balneario Cero with a double shore and natural protection, as it is in a cliff area. And another point to bear in mind is the importance of learning to swim. We can’t go in the water if we don’t know how to swim. It seems very obvious, but there are many people who go into the sea without knowing how to swim,’ concludes José Luis Sánchez.
At 11am yesterday, the mayoress of Llucmajor, Xisca Lascolas; Pilar Segui, councillor for the Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs, and Jaume Garau, councillor for Local Police, attended the inauguration ceremony of the municipality’s beach and safety service. A large team of lifeguards, the skipper of the boat, the Resem (responsible for the service), representatives of the company Salvament Aquàtic and the municipal technicians Eva M. Sánchez and Mateu Oller, were in charge of kicking off the new season. ‘This year, we have advanced the implementation of the plan to May 1st with the aim of increasing our commitment to safety. We are also already working with the local police and other organisations involved to organise the massive arrival of students and minimise problems,’ said the mayor.
‘Every season we improve our service and this year we have incorporated, in addition to the semi-rigid inflatable boat, a jet ski to reinforce our coastline. The surveillance, lifeguard, safety and personalised service for assisted bathing on the beaches of s’Arenal we can say with great satisfaction that it has begun normally and without incident”, concludes Pilar Segui, councillor for the Environment.
